The 4 Letter Word You Should Refuse to Say

That’s it! I’ve had it! If I hear one more person use that word, I am going to lose it! Let’s be candid and curt with each other. In personal and professional growth the word, “just” is an expletive. There are many times I have heard someone say, “well I just wrote a sentence.” Or “I just read a paragraph.” Or “I just made one invitation.” When I hear this I go ballistic. Why? Because there is absolutely no need to include the word “just” when you are doing activities that take you to who you want to be.

“Just” is a word that denotes that you didn’t do enough. You don’t give yourself credit because what you did wasn’t big enough, wasn’t better enough, “just” wasn’t enough. Well I am here to tell you it is enough. The smallest simplest activity makes a massive difference as you consecutively complete it.

Now I will be perfectly clear, if you do something laughably small once, then you are right, it won’t make a hill of beans difference. But, when you do that same laughably small activity 30 days, 100 days, 1,734 days in a row, you change the course of your life, other people’s lives, and the world.

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As you embark on personal and professional growth, eliminate the word “just”. You never need include it in any sentence that describes an activity you have completed. “I wrote a sentence today.” Or “I read a paragraph.” Or “I reviewed a new vocab word.” It is a statement of fact, no need to discount it or inflate it, you did it!

Using the word “just” undercuts the power you have in yourself to grow, improve, and change. Don’t do it! You are great because you are doing. You are living your life intentionally and you don’t need to apologize, make excuses for, or diminish that you are doing.

Some people use the word “just” because they are worried about what someone else might think of the laughably small activity they are doing every day. “I don’t want them to think that is all I am doing,” you may think. Or, “this is so small they may laugh at me.”

If you think these thoughts or others, here is what I have to say to you, who cares what other people think of you? If you do, don’t. You can care for people without caring what they think about you. When you put weight on other people’s words or thoughts or judgements you give up the power that is in you to someone else. Keep the power for yourself. Allow yourself to succeed.

So, decide now to delete “just” from your vocabulary of personal and professional growth. When you streak, you are doing exactly what you want to do to become who you want to be. Remember that! Hold tight to it, and don’t care what anyone else thinks you should or should not be doing. When you are streaking, you are doing JUST awesome!

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